We have been celebrating the official start of the British Apple Season at lunch this week with apples organically grown here at Queen’s College. Pupils have been learning about seasonality and food provenance over the last week as they have been out busily harvesting our seasonal autumnal fruits from our own orchard space at school. The fresh fruits have been used by all Years in their Food and Nutrition classes, co-curricular activities, masterclasses, and even in the Dining Hall at lunch.
“The favourable spring and wetter summer weather has given rise to particularly flavoursome apples” said Mr Mann, Head of the Faculty of Art, Design, and Food, “the periods of heavy rains in July and August that caused trouble for some crops actually helped our apples grow”. Jordan Bradley, Executive Chef of the Queen’s College Catering Team added, “They made wonderful healthy snacks with zero food miles, so a great environmental choice for your lunch”.
Watch out for our next apple event coming very soon to the dining hall. After the fruit bowls have been filled and the pies and pastries baked, there is often a surplus of apples, so we will be holding a school apple juicing event to mark National Apple Day with an ‘Apple Hydration Station’ on Wednesday 18th October with pupils picked and squeezed Queen’s College organic apples juiced in a traditional apple press.
